JP6843704B2 - Fixed structure of wire in endoscope - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is a wire in an endoscope in which a connecting member fixed to the tip of a wire is welded to the inner surface of a through hole formed in a ring-shaped member forming a part of an insertion portion inserted into a subject. Regarding the fixed structure of.

In recent years, endoscopes have been widely used in the medical and industrial fields. The endoscope can observe and treat the test site in the subject by inserting the elongated insertion portion into the subject.

Further, it is well known that a curved portion that can be curved in a plurality of directions is provided on the tip end side of the insertion portion of the endoscope, for example.

The curved portion improves the progress of the insertion portion at the bent portion in the pipeline, and also changes the observation direction of the observation optical system provided at the tip portion located in front of the curved portion at the insertion portion.

Further, the curved portion is composed of a knot ring, that is, a curved piece, which is a plurality of ring-shaped members each having a predetermined length along the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion and having an annular meat portion.

Further, in the insertion portion, the plurality of curved pieces can be moved back and forth in the longitudinal direction so as to face each other across the central axis parallel to the axial direction, and the first curved piece located at the most tip side among the plurality of curved pieces. One or two pairs of wires whose tips are fixed to the pieces, that is, two or four wires are inserted.

When either two or four wires are pulled from the operation part of the endoscope, the curved part can be bent in either the up / down or left / right direction or in any of the up / down / left / right directions. ing.

Here, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration of an endoscope in which the tip of a wire is directly brazed and fixed to the inner peripheral surface of a curved piece, and a configuration of a laser-welded endoscope.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-149307

However, the method of directly brazing the tip of the wire to the inner peripheral surface of the curved piece or laser welding has a problem that the tip of the wire is difficult to position and the fixing work is difficult.

Therefore, a tubular pipe, which is a connecting member, is fitted to the outer periphery of the tip of the wire by swaging or the like, and at least a part of the pipe is fitted into a rectangular through hole formed in the annular meat portion of the curved piece. A method and a configuration for easily fixing the tip of the wire to the inner peripheral surface of the curved piece with good position accuracy by laser welding in the state of being in the state are also well known.

However, in this configuration, if the wire comes into contact with the rear end of the through hole when laser welding the pipe, the position of the pipe with respect to the through hole shifts due to the reaction force due to the contact, making it difficult to perform welding work. ..

Further, when the wire is towed, a part of the wire may come into contact with the rear end portion along the axial direction of the through hole, and the wire may be damaged.

Therefore, a configuration is also conceivable in which the rear end portion of the through hole is extended rearward, that is, the through hole is formed to be long in the axial direction to prevent the wire from contacting the rear end portion.

Here, the fixed position of the tip of the wire in the circumferential direction of the curved piece with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the first curved piece is a known wire provided in the second curved piece located behind the first curved piece and through which the wire is inserted. In many cases, it is displaced in the circumferential direction with respect to the receiver depending on the arrangement position of the built-in object of the first curved piece. Further, in the longitudinal direction, the tip of the wire fixed to the first curved piece is located forward away from the wire receiver provided on the second curved piece.

As a result, in the state where the tip of the wire is fixed, the region from the tip of the wire to the wire receiver may swing with respect to the through hole as the wire is pulled and loosened.

From this, if the rear end of the through hole is simply extended rearward, this region of the wire may come into contact with and rub against both end portions along the axial direction of the through hole, and the wire may be damaged. There was sex.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has a wire fixing structure in an endoscope having a structure in which the tip of the wire can be easily fixed to a ring-shaped member with high positional accuracy and the durability of the wire is improved. The purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the wire fixing structure in the endoscope according to one aspect of the present invention is formed on a ring-shaped member forming a part of an insertion portion inserted into the subject and the ring-shaped member. A through hole having a predetermined width in the circumferential direction of the ring-shaped member and extending in the axial direction of the ring-shaped member, a wire extended in the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion, and a wire externally fitted to the tip of the wire. A tubular connection that is fixed and has a width substantially equal to the width of the through hole of the ring-shaped member in the circumferential direction, and at least a part of the ring-shaped member is fitted into the through hole and welded to the inner surface of the through hole. It includes a member and a relief groove provided at an end of the through hole on the side where the wire extends, and set larger in the circumferential direction than the width of the through hole and the swing range of the wire.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a wire fixing structure in an endoscope having a structure in which the tip of the wire can be easily fixed to the ring-shaped member with high positional accuracy and the durability of the wire is improved.

Partial perspective view of an endoscope having a fixed structure of wires according to this embodiment. Partial cross-sectional view of the tip side of the insertion part of the endoscope along the line II-II in FIG. Partial perspective view showing the wire of FIG. 2 and the connecting member externally fitted to the tip of the wire in an enlarged manner. A plan view of the first curved piece in FIG. 2 as viewed from the IV direction in FIG. A plan view showing a state in which the connecting member of FIG. 3 is welded to the through hole formed in the first curved piece of FIG. Partial cross-sectional view of the first curved piece, wire and connecting member along the VI-VI line in FIG. Partial sectional view of the first curved piece, the wire and the connecting member along the line VII-VII in FIG. Top view showing a state in which the wire of FIG. 5 is swinging in the circumferential direction. A plan view showing a modified example in which the plan shape of the relief groove of FIG. 8 is formed into a trapezoidal shape.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of an endoscope having a wire fixing structure of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the tip side of an insertion portion of the endoscope along the line II-II in FIG. , FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial perspective view showing the wire of FIG. 2 and the connecting member externally fitted to the tip of the wire.

Further, FIG. 4 is a plan view of the first curved piece of FIG. 2 as viewed from the IV direction in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a connection member of FIG. 3 in a through hole formed in the first curved piece of FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the first curved piece, the wire, and the connecting member along the VI-VI line in FIG.

Further, FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the first curved piece, the wire and the connecting member along the line VII-VII in FIG. 5, and FIG. 8 shows a state in which the wire of FIG. 5 is swinging in the circumferential direction. It is a plan view.

As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope 1 extends from an insertion unit 2 inserted into a subject, an operation unit 3 connected to the base end of the insertion unit 2, and the operation unit 3. The main part is composed of a universal cord 4 and a connector (not shown) provided at the extending end of the universal cord 4.

The insertion portion 2 includes a tip portion 2a, a curved portion 2b, and a flexible flexible tube portion 2c in this order from the tip side.

The operation unit 3 is provided with, for example, an L-shaped curved operation lever 5, an opening 6 such as a treatment tool insertion port, and a plurality of switches 7.

The bending operation lever 5 is rotatably supported by the operation unit 3. The bending operation lever 5 is rotated by an operator in order to perform a bending operation on the bending portion 2b.

As the bending operation lever 5 is rotated, the two wires 17 (see FIG. 2), which will be described later, are towed and relaxed, so that in the present embodiment, the bending portion 2b is curved in either the upper or lower direction. It is configured to do.

The curved portion 2b may be configured to be curved in either the left or right direction. Further, the curved portion 2b may be configured to be curved in any direction of up, down, left and right by using four wires.

As shown in FIG. 2, a tip rigid member 10 is provided at the tip 2a. Further, the tip hard member 10 is formed with a first through hole 11 provided with the image pickup device 8 and a second through hole 12 provided with a connection pipe 9p to which the treatment tool channel tube 9 is connected. There is. From the image pickup apparatus 8, a signal cable 8c extends rearward in the longitudinal direction N of the insertion portion 2.

The curved portion 2b includes a knot ring (hereinafter, referred to as a curved piece) 13 which is a plurality of ring-shaped members, and a cover 14 which covers the outer periphery of the curved piece 13, and a main portion thereof is formed.

The curved piece 13 includes a first curved piece 15 located on the most advanced side, a second curved piece 16 located behind the first curved piece, and a plurality of curved pieces located behind the first curved piece. The pieces 16'are connected along the longitudinal direction N so that adjacent curved pieces in the longitudinal direction N can rotate in the vertical (UD) direction.

In the insertion portion 2 and the operation portion 3, the tip is fixed to the first curved piece 15 while being extended in the longitudinal direction N, and the base end is fixed in the operation portion 3 to a traction mechanism (not shown) of the bending operation lever 5. The two wires 17 are inserted with a deviation of approximately 180 ° in the circumferential direction S of the curved piece 13.

In the following, for the sake of brevity, it is assumed that the wire 17 and the wires related to the wire 17 are all applied to the two wires 17.

The wire receiver 18, which defines the position of the wire 17 in the circumferential direction S by inserting the wire 17 stretched in the longitudinal direction N into the second curved piece 16 and the other curved piece 16'and holding the wire 17. 18'are provided respectively.

The wire receivers 18 and 18'are provided at positions of the second curved piece 16 and the other curved pieces 16'that coincide with the positions of the central axis C of the curved piece 13 and the circumferential direction S, which will be described later.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pipe 20 which is a tubular connecting member is fitted and fixed to the tip of the wire 17. As shown in FIG. 5, the pipe 20 has a width S2 in the circumferential direction S.

The pipe 20 is fixed to the tip of the wire 17 by being fitted to the outer circumference 17 g (see FIG. 6) of the wire 17 and swaging.

The pipe 20 may be fixed to the tip of the wire 17 by caulking a tubular portion fitted to the wire 17, or may be fixed by another method. ..

Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the annular meat portion forming the outer circumference of the first curved piece 15 has a predetermined width S1 in the circumferential direction S, and is predetermined in the axial direction J of the curved piece 13. Two through holes 50 formed so as to extend the length J1 are formed with a deviation of approximately 180 °. The axial direction J is parallel to the longitudinal direction N.

Further, in order to simplify the description below, it is assumed that the one described as the through hole 50 and the one related to the through hole 50 are all applied to the two through holes 50.

The width S1 of the through hole 50 is formed to be substantially equal to the width S2 of the pipe 20 (S1 ■ S2). Further, the through hole 50 is formed in the axial direction J to the length of J1 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. Since the length J1 is larger than the width S1 (J1> S1), the through hole 50 is formed in a rectangular shape whose planar shape is long in the axial direction J.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the through hole 50 is formed at a position displaced by S3 in the circumferential direction S from the central axis C of the curved piece 13 in the circumferential direction S.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the through hole 50 is formed into the inner surface 50n by inserting at least a part of the pipe 20 and irradiating the inner surface 50n with the laser beam L from the outer peripheral surface 15g side of the first curved piece 15. The pipe 20 is to be welded. After fixing, the pipe 20 is arranged on the inner peripheral surface 15n side of the first curved piece 15.

As a result, by fixing the pipe 20 to the through hole 50, the tip of the wire 17 is fixed to the inner peripheral surface 15n of the first curved piece 15.

The length J1 of the through hole 50 in the axial direction J1 is the end portion on the side where the wire 17 extends, that is, the shaft, as shown in FIG. 7, in a state where the pipe 20 is welded and fixed to the through hole 50. At the rear end portion 50t of the direction J, the size is set so that the portion 17w described later of the wire 17 is non-contact.

This prevents the pipe 20 from being displaced from the through hole 50 due to the reaction force caused by the contact of the portion 17w of the wire 17 with the rear end portion 50t during the work of fixing the pipe 20 to the through hole 50. can do.

Further, in the first curved piece 15, the width S4 in the circumferential direction S is larger than that of the through hole 50 at the rear end portion 50t of the through hole 50 (S4> S1), and as shown in FIG. 8, the wire 17 swings. An escape groove 51 set larger than the range Y is formed.

In a state where the pipe 20 is welded and fixed to the through hole 50, the pipe 20 with respect to the first curved piece 15 is pulled and relaxed by the rotation operation of the bending operation lever 5 in order to bend the curved portion 2b. The fixed position of the wire receiver 18 is located away from the wire receiver 18 provided on the second curved piece 16 in the longitudinal direction N, and as described above, the through hole 50 is the wire receiver 18 in the circumferential direction S. As shown in FIG. 8, the portion 17w from the pipe 20 to the wire receiver 18 of the wire 17 swings in the circumferential direction S because the central axis C where the 18'is located is formed so as to be offset by S3. It ends up.

The relief groove 51 has a size such that the portion 17w does not come into contact with both side end portions 50v along the axial direction J of the through hole 50 as the portion 17w swings, and the planar shape is rectangular in the circumferential direction S, for example. It is formed in a shape.

Specifically, the width S4 of the relief groove 51 is formed to be larger than the deviation amount S3 of the through hole 50 described above.

Since the relief groove 51 prevents the portion 17w from coming into contact with the both side end portions 50v as described above, it does not need to be a through hole and is formed by being recessed from the inner peripheral surface 15n toward the outer peripheral surface 15g. It should be done. Of course, the escape groove 51 may also be formed from the through hole.

Since the other configurations of the endoscope 1 are the same as those of the conventional one, the description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the annular meat portion forming the outer circumference of the first curved piece 15 has a predetermined width S1 substantially equal to the width S2 of the pipe 20 in the circumferential direction S, and the curved piece 13 has a predetermined width S1. It is shown that a through hole 50 formed so as to extend by a predetermined length J1 is formed in the axial direction J of the above.

Further, the length J1 of the through hole 50 in the axial direction J1 is a wire 17 at the rear end portion 50t of the through hole 50 as shown in FIG. 7 in a state where the pipe 20 is welded and fixed to the through hole 50. It was shown that the portion 17w of the above was set to a size that would not contact.

Further, in the first curved piece 15, the width S4 in the circumferential direction S is set larger than the through hole 50 (S4> S1) at the rear end portion 50t of the through hole 50, and is set larger than the swing range Y of the wire 17. It is shown that the relief groove 51 having a rectangular flat shape is formed. Further, it was shown that the width S4 was formed to be larger than the deviation amount S3 of the through hole 50.

According to this, when the pipe 20 is fixed to the through hole 50, the pipe 20 is displaced from the through hole 50 due to the reaction force caused by the contact of the portion 17w of the wire 17 with the rear end portion 50t. Since it can be prevented, the pipe 20 can be fixed with high position accuracy without the fixing position varying.

Further, in a state where the pipe 20 is welded and fixed to the through hole 50, the curved portion 2b is curved. Therefore, when the wire 17 is towed and relaxed by the rotation operation of the bending operation lever 5, the portion 17w becomes the rear end portion. It is possible to prevent damage due to contact with 50t.

Further, in a state where the pipe 20 is welded and fixed to the through hole 50, in order to bend the curved portion 2b, when the wire 17 is towed and relaxed by the rotation operation of the bending operation lever 5, as shown in FIG. , The portion 17w from the pipe 20 to the wire receiver 18 of the wire 17 swings in the circumferential direction S, but since the relief groove 51 is formed to the above-mentioned size, the swing range Y and the deviation Since the amount S3 is absorbed, it is possible to prevent the portion 17w from coming into contact with the both end portions 50v and being rubbed and damaged as the portion 17w swings.

From the above, it is possible to provide a wire fixing structure in an endoscope having a structure in which the tip of the wire 17 can be easily fixed to the first curved piece 15 with high positional accuracy and the durability of the wire 17 is improved.

A modified example will be shown below with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a modified example in which the plan shape of the relief groove of FIG. 8 is formed into a trapezoidal shape.

As shown in FIG. 9, if the relief groove 51 is set to be larger than the swing range Y of the wire 17 and the wire 17 is not in contact with the end portions 50v on both sides, the planar shape is formed in a trapezoidal shape. It doesn't matter if you do.

Further, if the shape is easy to form in terms of processing and the shape is set to be larger than the swing range Y of the wire 17 and the wire 17 is not in contact with the end portions 50v on both sides, what kind of shape is the planar shape? It doesn't matter.

1 ... Endoscope 2 ... Insertion part 2b ... Curved part 13 ... Curved piece (knot ring) (ring-shaped member)
15 ... First curved piece (knot ring) (ring-shaped member)
15n ... Inner peripheral surface 16 ... Second curved piece (knot ring) (ring-shaped member)
16'... Curved piece (knot ring) (ring-shaped member)
17 ... Wire 17g ... Outer circumference of wire 20 ... Pipe (connecting member)
50 ... Through hole 50n ... Inner surface 50t ... Rear end (end)
51 ... Relief groove J ... Axial direction N ... Longitudinal direction S ... Circumferential direction S1 ... Through hole width S2 ... Pipe width Y ... Swing range

Claims (7)

A ring-shaped member that constitutes a part of the insertion part to be inserted into the subject,
A through hole formed in the ring-shaped member, having a predetermined width in the circumferential direction of the ring-shaped member, and extending in the axial direction of the ring-shaped member.
A wire stretched in the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion and
It is externally fitted and fixed to the tip of the wire, has a width substantially equal to the width of the through hole of the ring-shaped member in the circumferential direction, and at least a part of the ring-shaped member is fitted into the through hole to form the through hole. A tubular connecting member welded to the inner surface and
A relief groove provided at the end of the through hole on the side where the wire extends, and set to be larger in the circumferential direction than the width of the through hole and the swing range of the wire.
A fixed structure of a wire in an endoscope, characterized in that it comprises. The wire fixing structure in an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member is arranged on the inner peripheral surface side of the ring-shaped member. The wire fixing structure in an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member is fitted to the outer periphery of the wire and swagged to be fixed to the tip of the wire. The connection member of the wire in the endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the tubular portion fitted to the outer periphery of the wire is fixed to the tip of the wire by caulking. Fixed structure. The wire fixing structure in an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the ring-shaped member is a knot ring forming a curved portion provided near the tip of the insertion portion. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the relief groove is formed in the circumferential direction so that the wire does not come into contact with the wire in a state where the connecting member is welded to the through hole. Fixed structure of wires in the mirror. The through hole is characterized in that, in a state where the connecting member is welded to the through hole, the wire is formed in the axial direction at an end portion on the side where the wire extends so that the wire does not contact. The wire fixing structure in the endoscope according to claim 1.

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